The invention is a facility for removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the flue gases of coal fired furnaces by absorption in a water spray or dilute aqueous alkaline spray as described in Ref. 1 of the Cross References. In a subsequent treatment the carbon dioxide absorbed in the scrubber carbonated water system, and entrained in the circulatory system below the receiver, was allowed to diffuse into an ambient atmosphere and disposed of. The present invention follows much of the same procedure but changes the scrubbing operation within the receiver of the system described in Ref. 1 of the Cross References.
It is generally recognized that water under atmospheric equilibrium will absorb an equal volume of carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide is a compressible fluid and its volume is easily reduced as a function of the cube of its diameter (Vol=0.536 dia3) such that a much larger quantity can be sequestered in the matrix of the water spray droplets which in this instance is considered incompressible.
Assuming a simplified collision theory in the Ref. 1 design described in the Cross References the flue gas draft flow was impacted with a convergent water spray from ejector nozzles mounted in the receiver which was designed as a cyclone separator. The impact of the ejector spray with the flue gas effluent in the receiver increased the CO2 absorption capability by increasing localized pressure in the area of impact.
Since the new and useful improvements described in this application effect only the method of absorption occurring in the receiver of the scrubber system only this component is described in the detailed description which follows.
Because the system dynamic effects only the local compression at the time of impact the pressure depends exponentially on the velocity at the time of impact and is more effective and is made more efficient by altering the design and placement of those components within the receiver mechanism necessary to improve absorption and to maintain the holding pressure within the scrubber water matrix.
Two changes are present in the redesign of the receiver system mechanism.                1. The water spray ejectors are aligned parallel with the flue gas effluent and both streams will impart their momentum in the same direction and will minimize boundary layer friction.        2. A top rim band, designated as a compression band 27 is added to the receiver cylinder top edge to increase the CO2 retention duration and promote a squeezing action at wedge point 29 retaining the pressure upon the spray droplets.        